Macadamian Blog
How to Market Apps in App Stores
I remember the first time I saw my wife. She worked at a former hot spot called Stony Monday’s in Ottawa's Byward Market and she was cutting up limes on a countertop, preparing for the nightly rush. Our eyes met. Then I got that we're-going-to-spend-the-rest-of-our-lives-together feeling. Two kids, a dog and nearly 16 years later we're still happily in love. I guess you could say she stood out in the crowd.
Photo: My wife, Vicki… standing out!
This same concept can be applied when marketing apps in app stores. In 2013, app downloads are anticipated to reach 81 billion, rocketing towards 310 billion by 2016. Moreover, Apple’s App Store and Google Play – the world’s two mega marketplaces for mobile applications – currently have more than 900,000 and 850,000 apps available for download, respectively. Not to mention a heaping helping of apps available in brand name stores such as BlackBerry World and Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 store -- as well as a robust ecosystem of third-party app stores. So… there's lots of interest in all those fish in the sea but it's hard for those fish to get noticed.
Recently, I chatted with Matt Palmer, CMO at AppClover, and Rob Woodbridge, mobile business consultant and host of UNTETHER.TV. We drilled down on tactics that can help mobile apps get noticed in today’s saturated app superstores. The discussion was part of a nationally-syndicated marketing podcast called The Voice, which I co-host for International Association of Business Communicators.
One of the key discussion points was the importance of the app icon. Take a moment right now. Look at the screen of your mobile handset for just three seconds. Which app icon stood out for you? Why?
I encourage you to learn more by listening to the full podcast. Stream it below or access it here. You’ll get more helpful tips to create app marketing plans that get results. Hey, who says you can't stand out in a crowded market. My wife did. And I’m the better for it!
If you are experiencing technical problems, please access the podcast here.
About the Author
Graham Machacek is an award-winning marketing communications strategist. He has led highly successful B2B and B2C marketing campaigns as well as multiple website builds, digital projects and re-branding efforts. Graham is marketing communications manager for Macadamian Technologies. He headed up communications for CTV’s MuchMusic MTV Group and he is the founder and co-host of The Voice, a nationally-syndicated marketing podcast for International Association of Business Communicators.